A Fairy Tail Romance Fiasco
by Angel Phlox
Summary: Lucy, Gray, and Natsu find themselves caught in an awkward love triangle. What makes it worse is that everyone in the guild knows about it.
1. Fire & Ice

**A Fairy Tail Romance Fiasco**

**Prologue**

Lucy, Gray, and Natsu find themselves caught in an awkward love triangle. What makes it worse, in Lucy's opinion, is that _everyone_ in the guild knows about it. Mirajane is constantly commenting on how cute Lucy is with Natsu. And Levy keeps saying that Gray might like Lucy. Even little Romeo is pushing for Natsu to end up with Lucy.

Lucy views Natsu as a close friend and not much else. Gray on the other hand is a bit more mysterious. While battling Oracion Seis, when Gemini copied Gray, they said that he kind of liked Lucy. He won't admit this, of course, which drives everyone nuts. And then there's Loki. He's famous for being a ladies' man, but some guild members think Lucy should be with _him_. Poor Lucy is confused and overwhelmed.

And the one question that everyone wants to know is this: Who will she pick?

**Chapter 1: Fire & Ice**

**[Lucy]**

"Ne Lu-chan, have you made any progress on your novel yet?" Levy-chan asks excitedly.

"Sh! Keep it down Levy-chan!" I look around then whisper, "Actually, I have. I'm almost done!"

She laughs and claps. "Finally! When can I read it?"

I smile. "Maybe in a week or so."

"What are you two so excited about?" Mira-san asks while drying a cup.

"Lu-chan is almost finished with her novel!" Levy-chan says, a little _too_ loud.

Mira-san smiles. "That's great!"

"I didn't know you were writing a novel, Lucy-nee." Romeo says from behind me.

I yelp and turn to face him. "When did—?"

"I overheard you three talking. Plus I wanna ask you something." He says.

"What is it?"

"Have you seen Natsu-nii anywhere? I wanna show him something but I can't find him."

"He went on a low-class mission with Happy. He said he'd be back in a couple of days."

Romeo nods. "Ok. Arigato, Lucy-nee!"

"You're welcome."

Romeo then runs off to do who-knows-what. I turn back around and listen to Levy-chan and Mira-san talk. It's a normal day here in Fairy Tail, if I dare to say "normal." Nothing major has happened yet, and everyone is doing what they normally do. Kana is in the corner drinking with Macao and Wakaba. Elfman is lecturing Jet and Droy, while Lisanna poses for Reedus. I look around and see that Fried is as usual, drooling over Laxus. I never understood why he admires him so much, but it's none of my business.

It's been quiet for the past few days, what with Natsu being gone. That way, he and Gray don't fight, and everything is somewhat calm. It's strange without Natsu though. He's almost like the life-blood of the guild. When he isn't around, things are unusually calm and quiet.

I hear the door open and Gray walks in.

"Welcome back, Gray!" Macao says.

"Oh, hey there Gray." Mira-san says with a smile. "How was the job?"

He sits next to me and sighs, "A hell of a lot harder than I thought."

"Why didn't you bring someone like Erza or Lucy?"

My face gets hot when she mentions my name.

Gray looks over at me then back at Mira-san. "I just wanted to test myself."

Levy scoffs in disgust and leans in. "Men. Always doing stupid stuff."

I nod in agreement.

Gray ignores her. "But I completed it."

"How much did you get?"

"Not that much. Just 35,000 Jewel."

"Ne Gray," I say, "have you seen Natsu around?"

He looks at me. "I haven't seen that squinty-eyed bastard in awhile actually. Why?"

"Who're you calling squinty-eyed?" Natsu's voice says from the back of the guild.

Everyone turns as Natsu storms toward Gray.

Gray stands and meets Natsu, until they're standing only inches apart. "You got a problem, squinty-eyes?"

Natsu ignites and clenches his fists. "I could ask you the same thing, droopy-eyes!"

Then they go off, calling each other names. I roll my eyes and turn back around.

"Did you see the way Gray was looking at you?" Levy-chan says with a sly grin on her face.

"No." I say, even though my face is getting hot.

She laughs. "Oh, come on Lu-chan! It's cute!"

"What is?" Mira-san walks over. _Not her too…_

"The way Gray was lookin' at Lu-chan!" Levy-chan says in an excited tone.

Both Natsu and Gray turn and look at us.

"I heard my name." Gray says.

Levy-chan looks over at him and smiles while waving her hand dismissively. "Oh nothing."

He shrugs then they go back to insulting each other.

"So, Lu-chan?" Levy-chan says.

I look at her. "Nani?"

"Do you prefer fire or ice?"


	2. Just Friends

**Chapter 2: Just Friends**

**[Lucy]**

"What kind of a question is that?!" I ask as my face gets even hotter.

People have asked me questions like this before, but when Levy-chan of all people ask, it feels more embarrassing that way. I'm not sure why. I mean, I do _like_ Natsu, but not romantically. I keep telling myself this because I can't fall for a teammate. It just isn't right. Everyone knows that romance between teammates isn't good. And Gray? I just don't know about him.

Gray has always been a bit of a mystery when it comes to who he likes. Some people think he likes Juvia, despite the fact that she's with Lyon, and some people think he likes me. Don't get me wrong, Gray is _really_ good looking. But he doesn't really seem like the romantic type. And lately, whenever we make eye contact, my heart beats faster and my face gets hot. I'm not sure why…

"It's just a simple question, Lu-chan." Levy-chan says. "Don't make it more difficult than it is."

I sigh in frustration. "I like both I guess."

Levy-chan raises an eyebrow. "Both?" she sighs. "Ok, I'll make this less difficult for you. Would you rather date Natsu or Gray?"

"Lucy's slimy!" Happy says.

"It's sweat you dumb cat!" I say. And I'm _positive_ my face is as pink as Natsu's hair.

Levy-chan giggles. _Giggles._ "Aw no need to be embarrassed, Lu-chan! It's just a question."

_Gomen Levy-chan, but you're wrong. That was more than a mere question._ How can she take this so lightly? This is a serious subject that shouldn't be taken as a joke! I need to think long and hard about something like this. Answering on the spot—I can't do that. Choosing between my friends is like choosing between my celestial spirits: impossible! We're just friends. That's all.

"I think that's enough teasing, Levy." Mira-san says.

_Thank you Mira-san!_ I sigh with relief.

"Don't think I'm letting you off the hook so easily, Lu-chan." Levy-chan says then stands and walks over to Jet and Droy.

"Luuuuucy!" Natsu says then drapes an arm over me. "Let's go on another job!"

I yelp. "Natsu! Don't sneak up on me like that!"

He removes his arm. "Wari, but I just really wanna go on another job." He grins that toothy grin of his.

I nod and stand. "It's ok. Let's see what's available, shall we?"

He nods excitedly and we walk over to the request board. Unfortunately, there isn't much to choose from. I frown and look intently for something Natsu and I can do. I hear footsteps behind me. I don't bother to turn. I need to find a job fast. It's perfect timing too. It's almost time to pay rent. I gulp at the thought. _Come on, Lucy. Focus!_

"Going out so soon? But you just came back, Natsu-nii!" Romeo whines.

"Sorry Romeo. But Lucy needs rent money and…"

I tune out the rest. _Natsu actually cares about_ my_ rent? He remembered? That's so sweet!_ Then I remember what Levy-chan said, "Do you prefer fire or ice?" Those words echo in my mind over and over again. Maybe I _should_ start thinking about that. I mean, something's gonna happen _eventually_, right? And when (or if) that happens, I need to be mentally prepared to answer.

"Oi! Luuuuucy!" Natsu practically yells in my ear.

I jolt straight up and look at him. "H-hai?"

"Have you found a job yet?"

I blink then turn back to the board. _How does Levy-chan expect me to choose?_


	3. Rumors

**Chapter 3: Rumors**

**[Gray]**

Just another typical day here in Fairy Tail. That squinty-eyed bastard Natsu ruined my morning. I roll my eyes and take another sip of coffee. How does he always have so much energy? I can barely keep up. I don't know how Lucy does it. I look over and watch them. Something's different about her today. It's like she's avoiding me. Did I do something wrong?

"Graaaaaayyyy!" says a girly voice.

_Why can't I just be left in peace dammit._ "What?"

Turns out that it was Levy who called me.

"Is this seat taken?" she points to the chair next to me.

"No."

"Great!" she grins and sits down.

I turn to face her. "What do you want? I was enjoying my peace and quiet."

She scoots closer. "I saw the way you were looking at Lu-chan. Do you like her?"

Despite the fact that I'm an ice wizard, my face gets hot. "N-nani?"

"You heard me! There are rumors going around that you sneak into her house shirtless and stuff like that." She pauses. "So? Do you?"

_Dammit! How did she—? Natsu! That sneaky bastard!_ "I…um…We're just friends."

She laughs. "That's a lie from hell and you know it! Come on! Tell me!"

I shrink a little in my chair. I haven't really thought about how I felt about Lucy. I just haven't had time. No one's hardly had time to do anything. Especially since the latest fiasco. Why do people care so much anyways? Who I like is _my_ business. Not the entire guild's. Unfortunately, I don't have the luxury of privacy around here.

I'm not exactly vast in the art of romance and shit like that. I mean, who has _time_ for that? Except Bisca and Al I guess. But they're married! Me? Single and happy. _Are you really, Gray? Don't lie to yourself._ I curse myself. Why do I have to be in such inner turmoil over something so incredibly stupid? Is there a reason or…? _Stop overanalyzing thing, you moron! Just answer the damn question!_

"M-maybe…" I mutter.

Levy gets this huge grin on her face and hugs me. "This is so exciting!"

Mira walks over. "You two seem rather friendly today." She smiles.

My eyes widen and I wriggle out of Levy's hug.

Levy laughs. "Didja hear, Mira-san? Gray likes Lucy!"

My face gets as hot as Natsu's fire. "Urusai, Levy! Not so loud!"

To my dismay, they both laugh.

"Aw! That's adorable, Gray!" Mira says. "I _knew_ you'd end up with her!"

"We're not together!" I insist.

"What's this I hear? Gray likes Lucy?" Macao says.

_I'm doomed…_My face gets hotter, despite myself.

"Hai!" Levy says with a smile.

Macao puts an arm around my neck. "It's about time, Gray."

"Urusai!"

He just laughs. _Laughs_. "Don't be shy, son!"

_That's the least of my worries…_


	4. He said, She said

**Chapter 4: He said, She said**

**[Lucy]**

Right when I've found a job, chaos erupts in the bar. I look over and see Gray surrounded by Levy-chan, Mira-san, and Macao. _What's going on?_ I frown, debating whether or not to go and investigate. It's none of my business of course, but what's wrong with being curious?

A hand appears in front of my face. "Oi! Quit spacing out, Lucy."

I follow the hand to a face. Natsu's face. "G-gomen."

He frowns. "Are you ok? You're acting weird today."

He steps closer and his face is _way_ too close to mine. It's almost cute except for the fact that I can smell him. I take another whiff. He smells like the woods. It's a pleasant smell, actually. And his eyes are bright too. I've never noticed that before. I find myself examining his face. The way his eyebrows crease, his pointy teeth, his smell…_Stop it Lucy! Focus!_

I step back and shake my head. "I'm fine, Natsu."

He shrugs then looks at the flier in my hand. "You found one?"

I look down and show it to him. "Yeah. What do you think?"

He reads it and smiles. "Sounds good! When do we head out?"

I take a closer look at the flier. "We could go today and arrive at night or leave tomorrow in the morning and get there by mid-day."

"Hmmm…" he taps his foot.

_What _is_ wrong with me today? I can't look at Natsu _or_ Gray without feeling all weird!_ I've always viewed them as teammates and friends. Romance was the last thing on mind. But, over time, I began to notice them. I mean _really_ notice them. Granted, they both have a temper, but I look beyond that. I see the _person_ and not the flaws. Frankly, I find both of them adorable.

"Luuuuuuu-chan!" Levy-chan says as she races over to me.

I quickly turn. "Wh—"

She tackles me in a hug before I can say anything. "Gray said that he likes you!"

My face immediately gets hot.

Natsu looks in Gray's direction. "That droopy-eyed bastard?"

_Was that _jealousy_ I detected in Natsu's voice?_ "Gray what now?"

Levy-chan lets go of me. She has a _huge_ grin on her face. "Gray said that he likes you! I _knew_ it!"

I don't say anything. I can't. My body isn't responding. _I can't handle this now! It's too much!_ I look over at Natsu. He's staring at Gray with an almost blank expression. But I've known Natsu long enough to know that this particular look means he's irritated. Just a little, though. He'll probably shrug it off. But how will I respond? How can we go on a job like this? Maybe we should go tomorrow. _Yeah, that would be best. I can sleep on everything then._

"Lu-chan?" Levy-chan says. "Daijobou?"

Natsu looks at me also. _No, stop! Don't look at me! Go away!_ "You look a little pale, Luce."

Before I can stop myself, my knees give way and I fall.


	5. House Call

**Chapter 5: House Call**

**[Lucy]**

I open my eyes and look around. _Doko wa? …I'm at home? Why?_ Then I remember: I collapsed at the guild. I sit up and see Natsu looking out the window. _Did he…?_

He looks in my direction and smiles. "You're awake. Are you ok?"

I rub my eyes and think for a moment. _Am I really ok?_

"I guess…" I reply quietly.

He frowns/pouts. _Gosh I hate it when he makes that face._

"You're kinda pale, Luce." He says.

"Am I?"

He nods and puts a hand on my forehead. My heart beats faster and I have to take a deep breath. Why am I so jumpy? It's just Natsu, after all. I shouldn't feel this way. But I _do_ feel this way. I can't help it. I've always been close with Natsu. We just have this connection. But then there's Gray…Why is this so hard? Why can't I just like them equally as friends?

"Gomen, Natsu. I'm just not myself today." I say pathetically.

"Anyone could see that." He pauses. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

I look up at his big eyes. The urge overwhelms me and I hug him. He's so warm and smells so good. He slowly wraps his arms around me. I feel so safe, so secure. _Then why can't I stop thinking about Gray?_ I try to shake that thought off and relax.

"What's wrong, Luce?" Natsu asks in a quiet voice.

"Too much is going on." I reply.

He nods. "Too bad Droopy-eyes isn't here."

I chuckle. "Why do you say that?"

He shrugs. "Rumors. Just rumors."

He lets go of me and smiles his toothy smile. "See ya later, Luce! Hope you feel better!"

I nod and try to smile. "Arigato Natsu."

He jumps out the window and disappears. All I can do is laugh. I'm sure no one ever taught him how to use doors. I used to get annoyed, but now it just makes me laugh. I lean back against the bed. _We'll go on the job tomorrow. It'll be just like old times_. I'm so lost in thought that I almost don't hear the doorbell. I quickly get up to answer it. And guess who it is? (If your answer was Gray, then you are correct.)

"G-Gray!" I say in surprise.

His face is a bit pinker than usual. "Lucy…"

_ This is _so_ awkward._ I clear my throat and step aside. "Come in."

He nods and walks in. I shut the door and walk over to my bed, where I sit down. Gray pulls up a chair.

"I just wanted to see how you were." He says at last.

I nod and offer a small smile. "Arigato. I'm doing better."

"What happened anyways?"

"I passed out…I think."

He leans forward and stares at me with those cold blue eyes. I find myself almost frozen. Can you freeze someone just by looking at them? I'm pretty damn sure that Gray can.

"You _are_ kinda pale." He says with a concerned look.

"Natsu said that too."

Gray scoots closer and I almost yelp. His movement was so sudden, and he's still holding me in his blue gaze. My heart is beating fast, just like when Natsu was looking at me.

"Ne Lucy, have you heard any…rumors going around?" he asks.

"Rumors about what?"

"Rumors about me."

I pause and scratch my head. "Nope. Why?"

He sighs with what I _think_ to be relief. "Yokatta…"

"Why would there be rumors about you?"

He turns pinker. "Let's just say someone mentioned it to me."

We sit in silence for a few seconds.

After a while, Gray stands and says, "Get well soon, Lucy."

I smile. "Arigato. I will."

He kind of smiles. Then he leans down and kisses me on the cheek. "Sayonara."


	6. Mixed Feelings

**Chapter 6: Mixed Feelings**

**[Natsu]**

"You're really quiet, Natsu." Happy says as we fly back home.

"I am? Wari, Happy. I have a lot on my mind." I reply, still not totally focusing.

"You're thinking about Lucy aren't you?"

My eyes widen and my face gets hot, even though I'm a damn Fire Dragon Slayer. "How'd you know?"

If a cat can shrug while flying, Happy sure as hell just did. "Just a guess."

We arrive home and I hesitate when I reach the door. I just stand there like an idiot. My mind keeps going back to Lucy's apartment. Her eyes were so sad, and she smelled so _good_. Then she randomly hugged me. I don't mind, but I didn't expect that. Even after all we've been through, we've remained friends. But something changed today. What was it?

"Natsu!" Happy smacks me with a fish.

"Hey! What the hell was that for?" I ask.

"You weren't responding! You looked like Lucy."

_Lucy…Why do I feel weird when people say her name?_

I shake my head and put on a grin. "Why don't we get her something?"

"Like a fish?"

"No, you idiot! Something that girls like. Something that'll make her feel better."

Happy frowns and thinks. "Flowers? Lucy like flowers."

"Good thinking, Happy! Where would we find flowers?"

Happy gives me this you-are-an-idiot look.

I frown. "Just tell me dammit."

He sighs and says, "You can either buy them or go to the woods and pick them."

Why pay for flowers when you can get them for free? Without thinking, I rush off into the woods. I sniff around, but all I can smell are grass and trees. Damn, this is harder than I thought. _Why are you doing this Natsu? Do you really care about her _that _much?_ I stop and think. Do I? I care for all my nakama, but Lucy's always been special.

I haven't noticed it until now. But Lucy was always different from everyone else. _Different how?_ I can't figure it out. I'm no good when it comes to stuff like this. That's why I never bother with romance, because I don't know shit about it. It's all too confusing. I don't get why girls are so into it.

Besides, I heard that Gray said he liked her. I shouldn't feel irritated about that, but I do. _Maybe I'm just overprotective?_ Yeah, that's it. I'm just looking out for her. I want the best for Lucy and I don't want some asshole to be with her.

"Found anything yet, Natsu?" Happy asks.

I shake my head. _The only things I've found are confusion and mixed feelings…_

After finding some flowers for Lucy, Happy and I walk back to her apartment. _I hope she likes them._ I look at the sky. It's a little past one. I don't even know if she's still home. She may have gone back to the guild already, but I can't walk in there with a bunch of flowers in my hand. They'd never let me live it down. Besides, this is a secret present. I even wrote a note. If I do say so myself, I did a damn good job.

Happy flies me up to her apartment window. I look around and see that she isn't there. I open the window and climb in.

"Natsu, won't Lucy get mad if she finds us?" Happy asks.

"Sh!" I find her desk and place the flowers (along with the note) on it.

I grin to myself then hop out the window and land on the street below. Happy follows and we walk back to the guild.


	7. Battle of the Ships

**Chapter 7: Battle of the Ships**

**[Lucy]**

Once I arrive back at the guild, everyone rushes over to me to make sure that I'm ok. I assure them that I am, but I know that I'm not. I'm still a bit rattled about Natsu and Gray, but I shrug it off. I talked to Mira-san and she won't let me go on a job today, which is perfectly ok with me. I need time to think anyways. I just hope Natsu isn't too upset.

"Are you sure you should be here, Lu-chan?" Levy-chan asks. "You're still kinda pale."

"I'm _fine_, Levy-chan." I reply, for the tenth time. "Besides, I'm not going anywhere."

She frowns and gives me a pouty look. I give her my best I'm-really-ok-now-leave-me-alone smile. She lets it go, which I'm thankful for. The door opens and I turn to see Gray walk in. My face immediately gets hot and my heart beats faster. My palms gets sweaty and I tense up. _Ochiske, Lucy. It was just a peck on the cheek. Nothing to worry about, right?_ Wrong.

"Doshta no, Lu-chan?" Levy-chan puts a hand on my shoulder.

I quickly turn around. "N-nandemoni."

She pokes my cheek. "Come on, you can tell me."

I take a deep breath and take her hands in mine. "Gray came to see me and…"

She squeezes my hands. "And?'

I bite my lip and whisper, "H-he kissed me on the cheek."

I mumbled on the last part, but she still knows what I said. Her eyes light up and she smiles. I look at her sheepishly and she wraps her arms around my neck.

"This is great, Lu-chan!" she says with excitement. "You and Gray are gonna look _so_ cute together!"

Mira-san walks over. "That _would_ be cute, but I think Lucy looks better with Natsu."

_Mira-saaaaan! This is _so_ not the time for this! You're so embarrassing!_ Levy-chan frowns and puts her hands on her hips.

"Do you now, Mira?" Levy-chan says challengingly.

Mira-san nods. "Yes I do. Don't you think they'd be cute together?"

Levy-chan shakes her head. "Not _nearly_ as cute as her and Gray."

Mira-san raises an eyebrow. "Gray seems more like the solo type. Lucy belongs with Natsu."

_Belongs? Since when did I become an object?!_ My face gets so hot that I just bury my head in my arms, hoping this will all just go away…It doesn't. Just my luck, right? Levy-chan and Mira-san continue arguing over who I should be with. I'm trying to ignore them, but it's not working.

"Mira-nee!" Lisanna scolds. "You're embarrassing Lucy! You too, Levy!"

I look up and see Lisanna with her hands on her hips. She's frowning, but more of a stern frown. _Arigato, Lisanna._ _Hontoni arigato__._ I take a deep breath and try to calm down.

"Arigato, Lisanna." I say with a smile.

Lisanna smiles back. "No problem, Lucy." she leans in and whispers, "Personally, I think you look better with Gray."

_Not you too, Lisanna!_ I nod and she winks. I watch her walk away to join Elfman in take-overs. Mira-san walks over to Kana and her small group. Levy-chan pulls out a book and begins reading. I take out my keys and examine them. _I feel so tired. Maybe it's better if I go home for the day._ I stand and start to walk out when I hear footsteps behind me.

"Matte, Lucy!" It's Gray. _Why are you following me?_

I stop and turn. "Hai? What is it?"

He stands in front of me. "Why are you leaving already? It's only one twenty."

"I'm kinda tired. I think I should stay home."

"Mind if I join you?"

I blink in surprise. "Uh sure."

He suppresses a smile. "Let's go."

This feels weird, but it also feels right. _I wonder what everyone else thinks…Stop that, Lucy! It doesn't matter what they think! _I shake my head and continue walking. What a weird day this has been. Although, I've had weirder days. No such thing as boring in Fairy Tail, that's for sure. So I head home with Gray beside me.


	8. Sleepover

**Chapter 8: Sleepover**

**[Gray]**

I don't know what went through my mind when I asked to walk Lucy home. I'm still trying to figure it out. She's being really quiet, which is unusual for her. I want to ask what's wrong, but something tells me that I shouldn't. So I just put my hands in my pockets and walk alongside her. It's not like there's much else to do anyways.

"You still gonna go on that job with Natsu tomorrow?" I finally ask, trying to lighten the mood.

She shrugs. "I don't know. I hope so. I really need the money."

I laugh dryly. "Don't you _always_ need money?"

She lightly punches me then smiles. "Ok Mr. Smartass. I'm guilty as charged."

We both laugh. I make eye contact with her but she quickly looks away. _Does a kiss on the cheek really affect people this much?_ And no, I don't know what went through my mind when I did that either. I'm not very good at thinking things through. But I'm a hell of a lot better than Natsu. That dumb bastard just charges in and hopes for the best. I'm surprised it hasn't gotten him killed. But I don't know what we'd do without him. It's scary to think about. And whether I like it or not, we owe Natsu our lives. How many times has he saved our asses? More times than I'd like to count.

"Why are you being so nice all of a sudden, Gray?" Lucy asks.

If I didn't know her any better, I'd be hurt. I shrug. "What can I say? I'm complex."

She raises an eyebrow but doesn't respond. Then she looks at me with those big brown eyes and I fear that I might melt. "Well, it means a lot to me. Thank you."

My face gets hot. "Y-you're welcome." _Damn I hate it when girls get all mushy!_

She smiles. "You know that everyone in the guild won't let you live this down, right?"

I laugh and nod. "I figured. But they can assume all they want."

"So the rumors won't bother you?"

"Nah, not really." _Yes, a whole damn lot_.

Now it's her turn to laugh. "I don't believe you."

I frown. "Why not?"

She just giggles. "I just don't."

I sigh. _Why are girls so confusing? It disgusts me…_But at the same time, it doesn't.

"Well, we're here." Lucy says then pulls out her key.

We walk in to find Erza sitting on Lucy's couch, drinking tea. Frankly, I'm not surprised. I figured something like this would happen.

"E-Erza. What are you—?" Lucy begins.

Erza calmly sets down her tea. "I heard about what happened. So, like a good friend, I came to see how you were."

Lucy nods, though I can tell that she wants to be alone. She walks over to her desk and picks up a small bouquet of flowers and a note. _Who could have—? Duh. It was Natsu._ I don't even have to think twice about it. She sniffs the flowers and smiles. I walk over to her and read the note over her shoulder. _What can I say? I'm a curious guy._ It says:

**Hey Lucy!**

**I figured you were feeling kinda down, so I got you these. Hope you like them.**

**—Natsu & Happy**

Erza appears next to me. "What does it say?"

Lucy yelps and turns around. "Ever heard of privacy?"

"I just want to know what it says." Erza says innocently.

Lucy sighs and reads the letter to us.

"That's very sweet of him." Erza says.

Lucy blushes and nods. She looks at it and smiles. "Yeah, it is."

"You started the party without me?" Natsu's voice says from the window.

"Aye! They did." Happy says.

We all turn and see Natsu standing there, as if it's completely normal to enter someone's window. He may be "sweet," but he's hopeless. Completely and utterly hopeless. I shake my head and facepalm, not saying anything.

"There's no party, Natsu." Lucy says.

He pouts. "Aw, there's not?"

Even Happy seems disappointed.

Erza claps her hands. "I know! We'll have a sleepover to celebrate Lucy's recovery!"

_Recovery from what? It's not like she was near death or anything._

Lucy turns pink. "Guys, really. You don't—"

Natsu puts an arm around her and smiles. "Don't be ridiculous, Luce! Of _course_ we have to celebrate!"

_He probably just wants an excuse to sleep in her bed._ I roll my eyes in disgust but refrain from saying anything to ruin the mood.

Erza turns and looks at me. "What do you say, Gray?"

I shrug and try to seem indifferent. "I'm cool with it."

Erza nods and smiles. "It's settled then."

Lucy sighs quietly. "Hai hai…"

Natsu laughs while Happy eats a fish. _Where'd he get that?_ Erza requips into her pjs and Lucy changes. I just strip down, as usual. I keep my pants on, though. I lie down on the floor and wait for something to happen.

"You're awfully quiet, Gray." Erza points out.

"He's thinking about Luuuucyyy!" Happy says in that weird tone of his.

I frown but my face gets hot despite myself. "Tch. Isn't a guy allowed to think without being judged?"

"We're not judging you."

"Yeah, calm down droopy-eyes." Natsu says.

I sit up and glare at Natsu. "Urusai dragon boy."

Natsu crosses his arms and looks away. I roll my eyes then lay back down. Lucy walks in and looks at all of us like we're freaks or something. Then she sighs and sits on her bed. I sit up.

Erza grins. "Let the sleepover begin!"


	9. Pillow Fights & Gossip

**Chapter 9: Pillow Fights & Gossip**

**[Lucy]**

"It's barely past lunch time." Gray says in a bored tone. "And you expect us to—"

Erza glares at him and he freezes (no pun intended). My whole body goes rigid. And I didn't even do anything! Her hair is flying everywhere, kind of like snakes. He backs away.

"N-never mind…"

"_Anyways_, Erza," I say, trying to draw her attention away from Gray, "why don't we play some games or something?"

She looks at me and smiles like nothing happened. _Talk about bipolar…_ "Sounds good!"

"What about food?" Natsu whines.

''Aye!" Happy chimes in.

"You _just ate_." Gray says as he shakes his head. "How can you be hungry?"

"I'm always hungry." Natsu says proudly with that cute grin of his.

Gray rolls his eyes. "Of course. How could I forget? Silly me…"

"I'll bake some cookies then." I say. "How does that sound?"

Natsu's face lights up with a toothy smile. He nods eagerly. I laugh and walk into the kitchen. I start putting the ingredients together. _This is how it always was. And this is how it always will be._ Honestly, I don't know what I'd do without them, no matter how obnoxious they are. As I bake, I listen in on their conversation.

"That was very sweet of you, Natsu." Erza says. "Flowers always brighten peoples' day."

Natsu blushes and rubs the back of his neck. He laughs nervously. "Well, you know…um…"

Erza laughs. "No need to be embarrassed."

"Erza's right." Gray says. "Using your brain every once and a while isn't something to be ashamed of."

I try to contain my laughter so they don't hear me.

Natsu glares at Gray. "Wanna say that again you pervert?"

Gray looks away. "Tch! You're not worth my time."

Natsu stands up. "_Nani?!_"

"Gentlemen, calm down." Erza says.

Like clockwork, they both say, "Hai!"

I laugh to myself then put the cookie dough onto a platter and into the oven. I set it to a certain temperature and walk back into the living room. I sit on the couch.

"So, Lucy," Erza says, "there's a rumor going around that you're almost done with your novel."

I cringe slightly. _Levy-chan! How could you? That was supposed to be a secret!_

Erza looks at me. "Is that true?"

I look around and notice that everyone's staring at me. _Curses! Stop looking at me!_ I take a deep breath and say, "Y-yes. It is."

Natsu scoots closer to me. "That's great, Luce! When can we read it?"

I look at him for a few seconds, unsure what to say. His eyes seem to sparkle and his smile seems warmer. It's so distracting that I have to look away.

I clear my throat. "I-I'm not sure yet."

Gray looks at me now. "Why so shy about it?"

I fidget and look him in the eye. His gaze is so mesmerizing. I take in every detail of him: his Fairy Tail insignia, the scars on his side and forehead, those mysterious blue eyes…everything. I remember how his smile makes my heart go crazy. But I also take Natsu into account. They're both so cute…_Why? Why do you two have to be so attractive? Thanks to you, I've been going crazy!_

I hesitate. "It's just…" _Just what? That I'm scared they'll think I'm stupid? Maybe. Possibly._

He raises an eyebrow. "Lucy, we're your friends. We're not gonna make fun of you."

"Gray's right, Lucy." Erza says.

"Yeah." Natsu chimes in. "We're nakama. And nakama _always_ support each other."

"Minna…" I almost tear up but stop myself.

I look around at their smiling faces. They're all right, of course. I'm the one who's always nervous about showing my work to other people. Even showing it to Levy-chan was hard for me. But now I realize that I need to let go of my fear. Besides, what do I have to lose?

"So Lucy?" Natsu says.

I look at him. "Hai?"

"When can we read it?"

"In a week or so."

"Yosh!" he cracks his knuckles and stands. "Now that that's settled, why don't we have some fun?"

We all say, "Yeah!"

He picks up a pillow and throws it at Gray. "_Pillow fight!_"

Gray stands and smirks. "You're going down, squinty-eyes!"

He throws a pillow at Natsu and hits him in the face. Natsu throws another pillow at Gray but misses. Happy throws a pillow at Erza and almost knocks over my lamp. In turn, Erza throws two pillows. It's a full-fledged pillow fight. I dodge my way through and check on the cookies. I take them out and put them on a plate to cool. As I walk back, a pillow hit me in the face and I stumble backwards. _They sure can throw, that's for sure._ I shrug it off and smile.

Why? Because I wouldn't have it any other way.


	10. Where's Wendy?

**Chapter 10: Where's Wendy?**

**[Natsu]**

After a long and victorious pillow fight, we sit down and enjoy Lucy's homemade cookies. They're hot and gooey—just how I like 'em! Nothing's broken so Lucy is happy. Everything is how it used to be seven years ago. It's almost like nothing happened. Almost.

"By the way," Lucy says, "has anyone seen Wendy or Carla today?"

_Come to think of it, I haven't seen them._

Gray shakes his head. "Haven't seen her since yesterday."

Erza shrugs. "I'm with Gray."

Then everyone looks at me.

"Have _you_ seen her, Natsu?" Lucy asks.

Her big brown eyes trap me in some sort of trance. I find it difficult to breathe. _What's this feeling? What's wrong with me? I've never felt like this when I've looked at Lucy._ I blink a few times then shake my head.

"I haven't seen them either." I say.

Lucy frowns. "That's strange…"

"Despite her looks," Erza says, "she _is_ old enough to go on a job by herself."

"Yeah but…she would have _told_ us."

"Maybe she's sick?" Gray suggests.

Lucy shakes her head. "We would've heard something about it."

"Maybe she went fishing!" Happy says excitedly.

"Wendy wouldn't go _fishing_." Lucy says.

Happy lowers his head. "Oh…"

"So, where could she be?" Erza wonders.

We all sit in silence for what seems like forever.

Finally I stand and say, "I'll go look for her."

Erza requips and stands. "Me too."

"Shouldn't we _all _go?" Lucy says.

"Are you sure you're feeling up to it, Luce?" I ask. I don't want her to pass out again.

She nods.

Gray stands. "I'll go with Lucy."

Lucy looks at him and pouts.

He turns pink and looks away. "J-just to be safe."

Lucy sighs and nods.

"Good." Erza says. "We'll go in teams of two then. I'll go with Natsu."

I nod. "Let's go find Wendy!"

We all split up in search for the young Dragon Slayer.

Erza and I search the streets of Magnolia for two hours. So far, we haven't found anything. I can't even catch her scent. I've been asking around, but no one's seen her. I can't give up yet! Wendy's gotta be out there _somewhere_. I've searched everywhere in town. I guess we'll have to search the woods next.

Erza runs towards me. "Anything?"

I shake my head. "Nothing."

We both stand in front of the woods. _Could she be in here?_

"You think she went in here?" I ask.

"Only one way to fine out I guess." Erza says then looks at me. "Shall we?"

I nod. "Might as well."

We run through the forest shouting her name over and over again. I've been attacked twice and almost fallen off a cliff. _Curse you, Wendy! Why'd you have to disappear?_ Erza and I have split up for now. This way, we can cover more ground. I still can't find her scent. Or Carla's for that matter. _Where could she have gone? This isn't like her!_

_Wendy…where _are_ you?_


	11. Searching for Wendy

**Chapter 11: Searching for Wendy**

**[Gray]**

It's been two hours and we still haven't found that damn brat. Or her cat. Lucy and I have searched all the docking ports and a few train stations. Nothing. We even went to Hibiki but he wasn't of much use. I'm almost ready to quit. Right now, Lucy and I are sitting on a bench at one of the train stations.

"Do you think she could have been kidnapped?" Lucy asks.

I shrug. "It's possible. But who would want to kidnap _Wendy_ of all people?"

"I don't…" she pauses then suddenly says, "The Jiggle Butt Gang!"

I frown. "Who?"

She turns and faces me. "Don't you remember? She _is_ their 'goddess.' They admire her to no end. Kind of like Fried with Laxus."

"So you're thinking that they want her all to themselves?"

She nods. "That's exactly what I think."

"But they could be anywhere."

"All we need to know is if there's been any shipment of something valuable today. They're probably gonna be there."

I nod. "We should contact Natsu and Erza. They need to know about this."

"How do we do that?"

"Couldn't you send one of your spirits?"

She frowns. "I _suppose_ I could ask Virgo…"

"Hurry up and decide. Wendy's getting further away."

She nods and stands. "Open! Gate of the Maiden, I call upon thee! Virgo!"

A yellow light surrounds Lucy for a few brief seconds. Then Virgo is standing next to her.

"You called, hime?" Virgo says.

Lucy nods. "Virgo, I need you to track down Natsu and deliver a message to him."

Virgo nods. "What is the message?"

"Tell Natsu to meet us at Magnolia Station as soon as he can."

"Anything else?"

Lucy shakes her head. "No that's it."

Virgo bows. "I shall depart now."

"Hiyaku!"

"Sumimasen…punishment?"

"Just go!"

"Hai." Then Virgo disappears underground.

Lucy stumbles and I catch her. "Oi, are you alright?"

Her face turns pink and she looks at me. "Just a little dizzy is all."

We sit down and I take a closer look at her. She's pale and looks tired. _I knew she should've stayed home! But did she listen? No._ I admire her dedication, but risking your health isn't something I support.

"You're kinda pale." I say, trying not to show too much concern.

She look at me and sighs. "I know…"

I hesitate but reach out my hand and feel her forehead. She doesn't have a fever. Yokatta. That's always good. I remove my hand and look at her.

"I'm just a little tired…" Lucy says. "I don't know what's wrong with me." She smiles sheepishly.

"W-well…until Natsu gets here…you can use me as a pillow." My whole face gets hot and I can only pray that it's not too pink.

She smiles a little and blushes. "I just might take you up on that."

A few minutes later, she lays her head on my shoulder and closes her eyes. I try to contain myself, which is really hard. My whole body tenses. I take a few deep breaths and loosen up a little bit. I look down at her face. _She looks so peaceful…_

I people watch while I wait for Natsu and Erza to get here. If Lucy's right, this should be easier than I thought. From what I've heard, this Jiggle Butt Gang is about as harmless as a fly. But they do pack a powerful stench, like a skunk.

_Don't worry, Wendy. We'll find you. We won't stop searching until we find you_.


	12. Magnolia Station

**Chapter 12: Magnolia Station**

**[Lucy]**

I don't know how long I was asleep, but when I wake up, Natsu and Erza are running towards us. I immediately sit up and look at Gray. He makes a surprisingly good pillow. I was asleep within seconds! I'm still a bit drowsy and I'm tempted to sleep some more. But I shake that thought away. _What are you _thinking_, Lucy?_

"Arigato, Gray." I say at last.

He looks at me and kind of smiles. "Any time."

Natsu and Erza reach us just as Gray finishes his sentence. They're both breathing heavy and Natsu is covered in dirt and some small cuts. Erza looks better than Natsu, but not by much.

"What _happened_ to you two?" I ask.

"We'll…explain…later." Erza says.

I stand. "I'll be right back."

I search for someone who might know about the shipments. I frantically look around. My heart is pounding and my vision is blurring slightly. _I have to find someone fast!_ I keep running and searching. I finally find a woman who seems to be in charge. I stop in front of her,

"S-sumimasen!"

She turns. "How may I help you?"

I pant and take a moment to recover my breath. "I was wondering if there were any shipments that contained gold or expensive jewels today."

She looks down at what seems to be a list of some kind. She goes through many papers. _Come on, obaa-san. I don't have all day ya know. I'm trying to rescue Wendy!_ I take a deep breath. I need to be calm and focus. I can't save Wendy if I'm a wreck.

"Ah, here we go." She says finally. "There was a shipment of diamonds going to Clover Town that left about fifteen minutes ago."

_Yokatta! We still have time!_

"Arigato obaa-san!" I run back to Natsu and the others.

When I arrive, they're all pacing and talking. When they see me, they all stop what they're doing and look at me.

"Well?" Erza asks.

"Did you find anything?" Gray asks.

"Not the train…" Natsu whines.

I take a deep breath. "A shipment headed for Clover Town left fifteen minutes ago. We can still make it!"

Everyone sighs with relief.

"Yokatta." Erza says.

"We need to catch up. We can't just stand here!" Gray says anxiously.

"We already know that, Gray." I say.

"Patience." Erza says. "We'll need to find a way to—"

Without another word, Natsu and Happy take off without us. I roll my eyes and look to Erza. We follow her and rent a car. Erza plugs herself into the SE plug and we take off. Gray and I ride in the car while hanging on for dear life (because Erza drives like a maniac). _Please,_ I pray, _please be careful, Natsu. Just wait for us, ok? Please…_

I look at Gray.

He pats my leg and says, "Don't worry. If we don't make it, Natsu will kick their asses for sure."

I nod. "I know. Natsu will find her…He will."


	13. The Jiggle Butt Gang

**Chapter 13: The Jiggle Butt Gang**

**[Natsu]**

The moment I heard "Clover Town," Happy and I took off. I know Erza won't be too happy, but I have to rescue Wendy no matter what. My heart is pounding and my mind is racing. _Hold on, Wendy. I'm comin' for ya_.

"Natsu." Happy says.

"What is it, Happy?" I ask.

"I'm getting tired. Can we stop?"

_Damn it all! We're so close!_ I sigh. "Yeah, ok."

"Phew…" Then Happy decides to just drop me.

"Ah! Curse you, Happy!" I wave my arms around frantically as I fall.

He swoops down and picks me up. He lets me down once we are close enough to the ground.

"I could have _died_!" I scream.

"Gomenasai…" Happy says and lowers his head.

I pick him up and start running. "Don't have time for this. I gotta rescue Wendy!"

So I run. The tracks seem to never end. Time is ticking by and I seem to be getting nowhere. Just when I think that, I hear,

"Natsu! Matte!" _Lucy? Why is she here?_

I stop running and turn around. Gray is driving a car while Erza and Lucy are in the back. I really hope Erza isn't _too_ mad at me. Gray stops the car only a few feet in front of me.

"Geez dragon boy. You could have _waited_ a few minutes." He says in an agitated tone.

I ignore him as Erza and Lucy step out.

"What were you _thinking_, Natsu?" Lucy asks furiously.

"I…um…" I take a step back.

"We don't have time to argue. Let's go." Erza says as she drags me into the car.

I'm thrown into the back with Lucy and Gray. Erza takes off and the motion sickness kicks in. Everything sways back and forth.

"Are you ok, Natsu?" Lucy asks.

"He's in a car." Gray says. "You know how he gets."

She nods and looks at me with concern. _I hate it when people look at me like that._ But unfortunately for me, the swaying is too much and I somehow end up on Lucy's lap. I close my eyes and drift in and out of consciousness. I have no idea how much time passes.

I can feel Lucy's hand on my shoulder. I can smell her too. _I could stay here forever…_My eyes open immediately after I think that.

"Oh, you're finally awake, flame-brain?" Gray retorts.

"Sh-shut up you pervert…" I try to sit up but fall back onto Lucy.

Her face is pink but she doesn't seem to be upset.

"Just relax until we get there." she says.

I nod and fall back asleep.

The next thing I know, I'm being dragged out of the car and getting pulled along by Lucy. I can hear shouting and something that sounds like a train, but everything is still blurry. I look at Lucy and she's yelling,

"Natsu, snap out of it!"

I shake my head and everything snaps into focus. We're standing in front of a stopped train. In front of us are three men wearing black suit-looking things that are _way_ too tight. Disgustingly tight.

"Did I miss anything?" I ask her.

She shakes her head and lets go of my wrist. Both Erza and Gray are in fighting stances. They turn and look at me. Gray steps back next to Lucy. Erza sheathes her sword and walks over to me.

"Ready to kick some ass?" she asks with a smirk.

I nod and crack my knuckles. I look straight at the bastards that had the nerve to kidnap Wendy.

"Are we truly evil now, boss?" the skinny one asks.

The one in the middle smirks. "Why yes, my lackeys."

They all laugh. _Laugh._

I waste no time in taking them out with my Fire Dragon Fist. Talking is a waste of time. Besides, I'll let my fists do the talking. I land punch after punch, not thinking.

"Chotto, Natsu!" Lucy says from behind me.

I stop and turn around. "What?"

"We need them to tell us where Wendy is. If they're unconscious then they can't do that."

I let go of the fat one and he falls to the ground. "Fine. Just hurry up before I change my mind."

"B-bakemono!" one of them says.

I turn and give them my death glare. "Care to say that again, asshole?"

They all shrink back and shake their heads.

"That's what I thought."

Lucy stands next to me and puts a hand on my shoulder.

"Where's Wendy?" she asks in a firm tone.

_Note to self: never make Lucy mad._

They just sit there and smirk. I clench my fists and take a step forward. Lucy tightens her grip and I stop. Gray, however, pins them against the wall with ice. Erza draws her sword so its tip is at their leader's throat.

"Tell us where Wendy is. _Now_." she says.


	14. Negotiating with Evil

**Chapter 14: Negotiating with "Evil"**

**[Lucy]**

Right as Erza draws her sword, I cringe a little. I know how idiotic these guys are. It'll be hard to negotiate with them. I just hope that their idiocy isn't contagious. Anyways, I watch Erza interrogate them. So far, no such luck. I didn't expect them to cooperate easily but still. This is really frustrating.

"Come on, Luce," Natsu whines, "let me hit 'em one more time."

I grip his shoulder harder. "_No_."

He sighs and crosses his arms.

My mind goes back to when he was lying on my lap. He was so warm, like a blanket on a cold winter day. I couldn't help but smile when I looked at him. Gray didn't say anything until Natsu woke up, but anyone could have seen that coming. But he was—I hate to admit it—so freaking adorable when he was asleep! There, I said it.

The leader of the Gang grins that disgusting grin of his. "That girl means _this_ much to you?"

"Stop beating around the bush and tell us where she is!" Erza shouts, the tip of her blade sinks into his skin and just barely makes him bleed.

He gulps. "Sh-she's in the fifth cart."

Erza looks at Natsu and me. "Go find her."

We nod and climb onto the train. We run until we find the fifth cart. Natsu opens the hatch and jumps down. Then I slip through it and he catches me. We look at each other for a brief second but he quickly sets me down and we begin searching.

"Wendy?" I call out. "Where are you?"

"Wendy!" Natsu shouts. "Wendy!"

Nothing.

Natsu hits something and gas starts pouring into the cart. We try to open the hatch but it's locked. _They tricked us…of course. We should have expected nothing less, right? _All the other doors are locked. The panic starts to set in. I'm banging against the windows, walls, the roof, everything. It's getting hard to breathe and my vision is getting blurry.

"We h-have to get out of here." Natsu says through coughs. He leans against the wall.

"H-how?" I ask.

Before he can answer, Natsu falls to the ground. I rush over to him but he's unconscious. _Are we going to die?_ Then everything goes black.

"Lucy! Lucy, wake up!"

_Is that Gray's voice?_ I open my eyes and sure enough, it's Gray who's looking down at me. His face has worry written all over it. I feel so weak…_Where's Natsu? Is he ok? And what happened to the Gang?_

"G-Gray…" I say. Everything is still a bit fuzzy.

He helps me sit up. "Are you alright? What happened?"

I look into his eyes. "W-we were looking for Wendy when…when gas started filling up the cart. Everything was locked and we couldn't get out."

"Then you passed out…"

I nod. "Wait! Where's Natsu?"

"Take it easy. He's right over there." He points at a barely conscious Natsu.

"Where's Erza?"

He looks away. "Negotiating."

"We have to keep looking for Wendy—" I try to stand but fall back down. Gray barely catches me in time.

"You're not going anywhere." He says sternly.

"B-but…"

He shakes his head. "You and Natsu are going back to the car and _staying_ there."

"Y-you honestly expect us to do that?" Natsu says.

We both look at him.

"I don't wanna hear it, squinty-eyes! You and Lucy could have been killed. Besides, you can't even stand." Gray says angrily.

"Just gimme some fire and I'll be good to go."

"We don't _have_ any fire you idiot!"

Natsu looks at me. "Couldn't you call one of your spirits?"

"She's in no condition to do _anything_!" Gray says.

Overprotective much? _Stop treating me like I'm a helpless little girl!_

"Yamette, Gray." I tell him.

He looks at me. "But—"

"But nothing." I take a deep breath. "I'm not the same person I was seven years ago. I can do this."

He frowns, clearly not convinced.

"You heard her." Natsu says. "We're not out for the count yet."

My eyes plead with Gray.

He sighs and shake his head. "Fine…"

I smile and hug him. "Arigato, Gray!"

He laughs nervously. "Y-you're welcome."

I quickly let go of him and stand, with his help. I may have to lean on him for support, but I can still do this. Natsu stands also, though he's still a bit wobbly too.

I take out a key. "Open! Gate of the Lion, I call upon thee! Leo!"

In a flash, he's standing there, tux and all. He flashes a smile my way and says, "Long time no see Lucy, Gray, Natsu."

"Hey Loki." Gray says.

"Hey! How've ya been?" Natsu asks.

Loki shrugs. "I'm doing alright." he faces me. "Now, how may I be of assistance?"

"Would you mind beating up some guys for me?" I ask.

He chuckles and gets this wicked grin on his face. "It'd be my pleasure."


	15. Justice is Served

**Chapter 15: Justice is Served **

**[Lucy]**

"So, where exactly _are_ we?" Loki asks.

"Long story." I say.

Loki, Natsu, Gray and I are all running back to where Erza is. I just hope that she found out _something_. Hopefully they'll be put in a more cooperative mood once Loki lands a couple punches. Whatever was in that gas has made me a bit out of it. Both Natsu and I are still trying to shake it off.

"Thank goodness you're ok!" Erza says.

I try to give her a reassuring smile. "You can't take down a Fairy Tail wizard_ that_ easily!" I look at Natsu. "Right, Natsu?"

He grins. "Couldn't have said it better myself, Luce."

The Jiggle Butt Gang are trembling where they stand. I can see them sweating from here. _Ew!_

"Are those the guys?" Loki asks me.

I nod. "Give them a couple warning punches."

He grins. "You're taking all the fun out of it"

He jumps down and starts landing punches. In the mean time, we all jump down from the roof. We stand next to Erza, Loki, and an almost unconscious Gang. Loki may have gone _a bit_ overboard, but this is nothing compared to what Natsu would've done.

"Arigato, Loki. You've been a big help." I tell him.

He smiles. "Always a pleasure, Lucy." He takes my hand and kisses it. "Call on me any time."

In a flash of yellow light, he's gone. We all turn our attention to the Gang. Natsu decides to get up in their faces with a fist engulfed in flames.

"Tell us where Wendy _really is,_ or I'll kill you." Natsu says in his deadliest tone. Even _I_ cringe.

"Fine, fine." The leader says. "I'll show you."

I look at Gray and whisper, "You think we can trust him?"

He shakes his head. "Not for a second."

I nod. "That's what I was thinking…"

Erza cuts the ice with her sword and picks up the leader by his shirt. "Show me or," she puts her sword to his throat, "I'll be forced to use this."

He gulps and nods.

Erza nods and looks back at us. "Natsu, Lucy, please come with me."

I look at Gray. "Be careful."

He nods. "Don't worry about me. Just find Wendy."

"We will."

So Natsu, Erza, and I follow the leader to where, _hopefully_, Wendy really is. They certainly have changed a lot in the past seven years, I'll give them that. But kidnapping Wendy after all these years? That's just lame.

The leader opens the door to a cart. "In here."

Erza stays behind and nods at Natsu. In turn, he looks at me and I nod. We (Natsu and I) walk in and sure enough, there's Wendy. She's looking out one of the windows and Carla is with her. And she's ok…_Yokatta!_

"Wendy…" Natsu says in a calm voice.

**o0o**

**Author's Note: **

**Sorry it's so short. But I just wanna thank all of you for your support! Please leave a lot of reviews ok? Arigato and oyasuminasai minna-san!**


	16. Wendy's Ok!

**Chapter 16: Wendy's Ok!**

**[Natsu]**

Right as Lucy and I walk into the cart, I see Wendy and Carla. I mentally sigh with relief. I'm sure Happy will be thrilled too, but I left him with Droopy-eyes (Gray). I look at Lucy and she nods. We walk in.

"Wendy." I call out as calmly as I can.

She turns around and smiles, tears in her eyes. "Natsu-san! L-Lucy-san!"

Before I can take three steps, she runs over to me and basically tackles me in a hug. I almost fall back. I look down and she's crying.

"Natsu-san…" she says quietly.

I wrap my arms around her. "Sh stop crying, Wendy. It's ok. We're here." _I absolutely _hate_ it when girls cry._

She squeezes me tighter. "I was so scared…"

I put my hand on the back of her head. "You're safe now."

She nods then sinks down, like her knees gave way or something. I catch her.

"Oi, are you ok?" I ask.

"She hasn't had much too eat is all." Carla says matter-of-factly.

I adjust Wendy in my arms and look at Lucy. "She's ok…"

Lucy nods and smiles. She walks over and kisses Wendy's forehead. "You're safe now."

Wendy looks up at Lucy and smiles before closing her eyes again. Lucy and I walk out with Wendy in my arms, and Carla in Lucy's. Erza decides to drop the Gang off in the middle of nowhere as punishment. Lucy and I climb into the car as Gray plugs himself up. Happy and Carla are asleep in the other seat. _You did good, Happy_.

"Are you ok, Natsu?" Lucy asks.

I look at her and shrug. "I'm ok. You?"

"I'm good." she looks at Wendy, who's now in my lap/arms. "I'm just glad Wendy's ok."

I look down at Wendy too and kind of smile.

"That's really cute, Natsu." Lucy says in a teasing voice.

I look up at her and blush. "Wh-what is?"

She points at Wendy. "The way you're holding her. It's like you're her aniki." **(note: "aniki" means big brother)**

My face gets hotter. "Is that bad?"

She shakes her head. "Not at all! It's adorable. And sweet."

I grin and laugh nervously. "Hehe thanks, Luce."

She smiles. "You're welcome."

Then she leans forward and kisses my cheek. My whole body goes rigid and my face gets as hot as my fire. I gulp and take a deep breath. _Lucy just...She just...Holy shit Lucy just kissed me!_

"No wonder Romeo looks up to you." Lucy finally says.

Right then, Erza says (from outside), "Hold on tight!"

_Ah shit…_The car takes off. I guess Gray's with Erza up front? Anyways, the motion sickness kicks in, but not as bad as before. Whatever was in that gas has made it not so bad. I lean back and close my eyes then tighten my hold on Wendy, to make sure that she doesn't fall or anything.

Lucy leans her head on my shoulder. "You're the best, Natsu."

**o0o**

"Natsu. Natsu, wake up." _That's Lucy's voice…_

I open my eyes and Lucy's face comes into focus. "L-Lucy…"

"How'd you sleep?"

I sit up, making sure not to drop Wendy. "Like a rock."

She smiles and I can't look away. "We're at my place. Come on, let's get Wendy inside."

She steps out of the car and I follow, trying not to drop Wendy. _"The way you're holding her. It's like you're her aniki."_ Lucy's words echo in my mind. As we walk, I look down at Wendy. At first, I only thought of her as this little girl. But now, I guess I _do_ view her as a little sister.

Gray and Erza have already made themselves at home. _Go figure._ I lay Wendy down in Lucy's bed and pull the covers over her. I sit next to her while Lucy prepares a wet towel. She's gonna be ok, I get that. But there's one thing I _don't _get:

_How'd they get a hold of her?_


	17. Realization

**Chapter 17: Realization**

**[Gray]**

Lucy hands Wendy a cup of tea and sits on the bed, along with Natsu. Erza's on the couch, also drinking tea. Me? I'm just relaxing on the floor. Happy's sitting next to me, eating a fish while Carla also drinks tea. _What is it with people and tea?_

I gotta admit, this kinda shook me up. But just a little. I mean, who _wouldn't_ be shook up? Come to think of it, Natsu was acting…different than usual. He was more mature, if I dare say that. When he was carrying Wendy, he had this aura about him, like a brother caring for a little sister almost.

"How do you feel, Wendy?" Lucy asks.

"Better." Wendy replies. She stares at Natsu for a few seconds.

Natsu turns a bit pink but says nothing.

"Do you remember anything?" Lucy puts a hand on Wendy's knee.

Wendy bites her lip. "Not much, really."

"Did they say _why_ they kidnapped you?" Natsu asks.

Wendy looks up at him, tears welling up in her eyes. She just buries her head in his chest and cries. _What the hell is wrong with her? Did they do something to her?_ Natsu puts an arm around her and Lucy rubs her back.

"Maybe we should ask her tomorrow." Erza says quietly.

"I agree." I say, still watching Natsu and Lucy.

They look so much like a mom and dad comforting their child. Kind of like _my_ mom and dad. I remember when I had bad dreams, they'd sing me to sleep. Thinking about that makes me realize something. Something about Lucy. I do _like_ her, but that's it. I've just been noticing her lately as a friend. And I've also noticed the way she looks at Natsu. It's pretty damn obvious.

Wendy continues to cry. Natsu and Lucy comfort her as best they can. But I feel awkward, like I shouldn't be here. Plus I hate it when girls cry. So I look away.

"Maybe we should come back tomorrow." Erza says, more to me than anyone else.

I look at her and nod. "We don't seem to be of much use here."

We stand and Erza says, "We'll be back tomorrow. Good bye."

Lucy looks at us and nods. "See ya."

Erza and I walk out of Lucy's apartment. We stand in front of the river for a few minutes, not saying anything. Now it's early evening and things are beginning to settle down.

"Well, that was certainly an interesting day." I mutter.

Erza nods. "We should probably keep this hush-hush. We wouldn't want a big fiasco at the guild, would we?"

I shake my head. "No, we wouldn't."

She steps closer to me. "Has something been going on? You haven't been yourself lately."

I shrug. "Just some, uh, personal stuff."

"About Lucy?"

My body goes rigid. "What makes you say that?"

"I've heard rumors."

I sigh. "I don't know what you've heard, but it's not true."

She raises her eyebrows. "Well, I _heard_ you said that you might like Lucy."

"I did. But I've realized something and…well, I don't like her like that."

"So…you realized that you like her as a friend?"

I nod. "Yeah. Please don't say anything though."

"Wouldn't dream of it." she smiles. "Well, I better go. Oyasumi."

"Oyasumi."

She walks off and now I'm alone. As I've always been. I'm not sad, but I feel like I've lost something. More like some_one_ actually. But that's ok. She's still my friend and I like it this way. _Here's your chance, Squinty-eyes. Don't screw it up. She needs you more than she needs me._

So I walk home. But not before I look back at her apartment one more time.


	18. Maybe More Than Friends

**Chapter 18: Maybe More Than Friends**

**[Natsu]**

I barely notice when Droopy-eyes and Erza leave. I'm too busy consoling Wendy. She's calmed down a bit , but she hasn't let go of me. It's a bit awkward, but I've relaxed. Besides, if _I'm_ not relaxed, _Wendy_ won't relax.

Wendy sniffs. "A-arigato, Natsu-san."

I smile a little. "You're welcome."

I make eye contact with Lucy and she smiles. She mouths, "I'll be back."

I nod and she leaves.

"Y-you're really warm, Natsu-san…" Wendy mumbles.

"Are you cold?" I ask, containing a laugh.

She shrugs. "A little."

Her face is a bit pink. I can't tell if she's embarrassed or if she has a fever. Lucy walks out of her room and goes to the kitchen. _Is it dinner time already? I didn't even notice_.

"Are you feeling better, Wendy?" Happy asks.

"H-hai." She says.

"You need _rest_ not chit-chat." Carla says.

"Oh _shut up_, would ya?" I say. "Just let her do what she wants."

I can feel Wendy shrink against me. Carla stomps back to her tea. I roll my eyes.

I look down at Wendy. "But she's right. You should get some rest."

She nods then kisses my cheek. "Thanks again, Natsu-san."

I nod and tuck her in. She closes her eyes and falls asleep within seconds. Lucy pokes her head out and motions for me to go to her. So I stand and walk into the kitchen.

"What's the matter, Luce?" I ask.

She smiles. "Nothing." then she laughs. "That was _so adorable_ back there!"

My face gets hot. "Sh-shut up…"

"Aw, no need to be ashamed, Natsu!"

She smiles again and I can't help but stare. My heart skips a beat and it's suddenly hotter in here. _What's wrong with me? It's just Lucy. I shouldn't feel this way! We're just nakama; that's all, right? Right?!_

Lucy frowns. "Oi daijobou, Natsu?"

I blink a few times. "Y-yeah. I was just…thinking."

She raises an eyebrow. "I find that hard to believe."

"Nani?!"

She laughs again. "Jodan, jodan dayo!"

I sigh and cross my arms. "Mantaku, Lucy. Hidoina!"

"I'm not mean!" she insists.

I laugh. "Jodan!"

She rolls her eyes then steps closer to me. "Are you_ sure_ you're ok?"

I blink and can't help but stare into her eyes. "Atashi?"

"Yes, _you_! You've been acting weird all day."

"How so?"

"You've been spacing out, turning pink, and less aggressive than usual. Are you sick?"

_Lovesick maybe…Gah! What the hell am I thinking?! Dammit!_

"I just…I…" _How do I tell her? She's just gonna laugh or something._

She nods. "Go on."

_It's now or never, Natsu! Just say it!_

"I just…I really like you, ok?" My face gets extremely hot.

I hesitantly look at her and her face is pink. "N-Natsu…"

I gulp. _Here it comes. She's gonna say that she likes Gray or something._ Instead, she hugs me. _This has to be a dream, right? Just a dream?_ I slowly hug her back.

"Why didn't you say so sooner?" she says quietly.

I bite my lip. _Because I was scared._ But I can't tell her that. I feel stupid enough as it is. I just couldn't stand the thought of someone else being with her.

"I don't know." I lie. Right to her face…

She lets go and smiles. "Arigato, Natsu."

**o0o**

**Gomen for not updating! I've been a bit busy. (^-^)**


	19. The Bitterness of Love

**Chapter 19: The Bitterness of Love**

**[Gray]**

I toss and turn but can't fall asleep. I can't stop thinking about Lucy. Sure, she's alone with Natsu. And yes, they're at her house. But I shouldn't be concerned or anything right? Wrong. It's been driving me _crazy_ all night. _I'm scared he'll take her away._

I shake my head. I can't be thinking these crazy things! Why do I care so much anyways? Lucy has been a friend to me, nothing more…Then again, I always have felt something more. I'm not sure why.

"I can't take this anymore!" I get out of bed, put some clothes on, and go for a walk.

As expected, the streets are empty and the moon is full. I don't even know where I'm going. All I can think about is Lucy. _So, all it takes is a "love rival" for me to get jealous, huh? How pathetic I am…_I should have just stayed in bed and tortured myself…I don't even know where I'm going or why I'm out here.

There's something you need to understand about me: I don't get worked up over love and all the crap that goes with it. "So why are you so conflicted?" you ask. Good question. I have no clue. I know, I'm pathetic.

"G-Gray? What are you doing here?" _No way! That's Lucy's voice!_

I look to my left and sure enough, Lucy's standing there.

"I couldn't sleep so I decided to take a walk…What are _you_ doing here?" I ask.

She takes a few steps closer. "I couldn't sleep either. I thought some fresh air would help me think."

I nod. "Is something wrong?"

She shrugs. "I'm not entirely sure…I'm going through some," she pauses, "inner turmoil. Ever had that before?"

"Unfortunately, yes. I have."

She looks down. "I don't think you could help, though."

_Well, that's offensive…_ "Why do you say that?"

"Because you're part of the problem."

I'm pretty sure my mouth is wide open right now. "What the hell did I ever do to _you_?!"

She frowns. "You didn't _do_ anything! It's me, ok? _I'm_ the one who can't decide!"

_The one who can't decide? What does she mean by that?_

"I feel so guilty and ashamed!" Tears slide down her cheeks.

_Doesn't she know that men are weak against tears? Curses!_

I step forward. "Don't be so hard on yourself, Lucy. Come on, let me help."

"I already said that you can't!" she yells. "Just stop!"

Before I can say anything, her hand makes painful contact with my face and I stumble. I hold my cheek and look at Lucy. She's shaking and staring at her hand. _I've been cut, stabbed, bruised, broken some ribs, but this was more painful that all of that combined. Why is that?_

Lucy lowers her head. "G-gomen. I don't know what came over me…"

I sigh and stand in front of her. I'm sure if I say anything else, I'll just screw it up. So I gently hug her, trying not to seem forceful. She seems reluctant at first, but relaxes after a while. I'm not very good with words, so I try to use actions instead. Though it doesn't always work.

"I hope I'm not messing anything up." I say quietly.

She shakes her head. "You're not. I guess I needed another hug today…Arigato, Gray."

I smile, though just a little. "Anytime."

**o0o**

**So sorry for not updating! I've been busy lately, so I don't know how often I'll update. But I'll do my best! Gomenasai (I'm sorry) once again. Hope you enjoy this (short) chapter!**


	20. Final Decisions

**Chapter 20: Final Decisions**

**[Lucy]**

As I walk toward the guild, I think about all the recent event that have happened. I'm caught in a sticky situation called love. After last night's incident with Gray, I stayed up all night thinking. I've finally made up my mind.

"Lu-chan! Lu-chan!" Levy-chan says as she rushes toward me.

"Nani?" I ask.

"Is it true?" she asks.

I frown. "Is _what_ true?"

"That you and Natsu kissed."

My face gets hot and I look around. Everyone in the guild is looking at me, or so it seems. My heart beats fast and I can't think clearly. Before I can think of something to say, Natsu walks by and everyone starts whispering.

Levy-chan pulls Natsu by his scarf and makes him start next to me. She places her hands on her hips and asks, "Ok, I just wanna get one thing straight."

Natsu and I exchange confused glances.

"Did you two kiss?" Levy asks.

Everyone grows silent.

I gulp as Natsu says, "Y-yes…"

Everyone goes, "_Aaaawww!"_

My face gets even hotter. Then I look at Natsu and feel better. His face is so calm, though a bit pink. He looks at me and smiles. I smile back. _What do I have to be afraid of anyways?_

"So, are you two a couple now?" Levy-chan asks.

Natsu leans forward and kisses me. "Does that answer your question?"

Levy-chan squeals with delight and hugs me. I just laugh and kiss Natsu once more. Everyone goes nuts and throws a giant party. I hate all this attention, but it's ok.

As the party goes on, out of the corner of my eye, I can see Gray looking at me with a sad look. _Gomene, Gray. I just don't love you like I do Natsu._ I turn around and try to ignore him, even though it hurts.

After things have settled down a bit, Natsu walks over to me and asks, "Hey, are you ok, Luce?"

I look at Gray then back at Natsu. I kiss him on the cheek and smile. "I'm great!"

_I'm such a liar…_

**The End**

* * *

**Yes yes, I left it as a cliffhanger. Sue me! Anyways, so I decided to end this as a NaLu fanfic, ****_but_**** I ****_will_**** be writing a GraLu fanfic for all you GraLu fans out there. And I know that this is a short chapter, but I couldn't really think of how to end it. **

**I hope you guys enjoyed my first Fairy Tail fanfic! **


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